


A Promise not even Death can Erase

by moonlights0nata



Category: Rockman.EXE | Mega Man Battle Network
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Gen, Netto knows he had a brother, for like a moment, game canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 17:45:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15515166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlights0nata/pseuds/moonlights0nata
Summary: “Liar.  You left. You left me.” His body shook, fists clenching. “You said we'd be together forever. You promised--”Or the AU in which Saito lived long enough for Netto to remember him but he ultimately died...and came back.





	A Promise not even Death can Erase

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who finished a fic for this fandom again....and it's mostly angst LOL But these twins....these twins murder me daily, I love them, doesn't matter how much time passes, their sibling bond is so strong.
> 
> Hope you enjoy ! Not so happy with the end but this has been sitting in my unfinished fics folder for too long

“Don’t go.” It was said with fear and worry, in a small trembling voice. Netto’s hands tightly clutched Saito’s, resting them on the white sheets of the bed. It was as if he was afraid his brother would slip away from his hands, like he’d disappear into thin air.

Saito blinked at him and then his lips curled into a smile. He weakly squeezed Netto’s hands back. “What are you talking about?”

“I feel…like you are going to leave me behind.” He shook his head and hunched his shoulders, his lip quivering. “Don’t leave.”

Saito sighed. “I’m not leaving.” He managed to free one of his hands from Netto’s grip and gently placed it on Netto’s cheek, making the younger twin meet his gaze. “I’m right here, aren’t I? I’m not going anywhere.”

Despite his brother’s words, Netto had an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something didn’t feel right.

“…You promise?”

Saito nodded and, after freeing his other hand, wrapped his arms around Netto, pulling him close to his chest. “I promise. We'll be together, forever.”

Netto arms went around Saito as well, and for a moment, he felt calm, being held like this. “Yeah—together, forever.” Saito had never broke a promise before, why would he now? Everything would turn just fine in the end right?

Netto shifted his head, resting his ear just above Saito’s heartbeat. And yet...Instead of the steady **thump thump** of a heart, there was none, just silence. He froze in place, body tensing again, and the uneasiness he felt before came back full force. Something was wrong. _Very wrong._

“…Saito?”

No response. Netto pulled away from the embrace and looked at Saito’s face. His eyes were open but they looked vacant, hollow, no light to them. Netto took hold of his shoulders and shook him a few times.

“Hey…Saito…” He was not waking up, no matter what he tried. It was then that Netto realized his brother was not breathing, and it was as if the air had been punched out of his own lungs.

“No _no_ _ **no-**_ **“** Netto shook his head several times, refusing to believe this was happening. “Saito, wake up-“ He brought a hand up to the other’s face, but flinched when they made contact with his skin. He was cold, too cold in comparison to the warmth Netto remembered. His eyes widened and his hold on Saito weakened, making his body fall back limp and lifeless against the white bed. The sight was too much for him to bear, and he couldn’t convince himself this was real.

He was about to reach out a hand towards his brother, try to shake him awake once more because _this had to be a lie_ , when he felt someone pull him back, and people in white coats came into the room, surrounding the bed. Netto struggled, trying to free himself from the person holding him back. If he left Saito alone with those people they would take him away---He didn’t want that, he couldn’t let them take Saito. He screamed and kicked but no matter what he did he was only pulled further and further away from his brother.

_'I'm sorry.'_ Saito's voice echoed in the room, in his mind, even when the body laid still and faraway in the bed.  _'I lied.'_

He let out a strangled sob and tried to reach his hand towards him again, as if that would be enough to get to him—but as he screamed his brother’s name, he found his fingers curling into nothing but thin air, and his eyes snapped open abruptly. He breathed heavily and stared at the blackness before his eyes. It took him various minutes to realize where he was. It was dark, but by the crumpled sheet around him, he was laying on his bed, in his bedroom. It had all been a nightmare, but a very real one.

He pulled the sheets away from him and stood up with trembling legs, going up the ladder of the bunk bed with effort. His eyes had slowly adjusted to the darkness, so he could make out the shape of the bed above his own. No matter how much he squinted, it was empty, with no sheets or covers, only a lonely pillow. It had been for a long time.

He felt his throat clog at the sight and he quickly went down again, before his legs decided to give out. His knees hit the floor as he choked on a sob, moisture gathering on his eyes.

“...Netto-kun.”

“Liar. You left. _You left me._ ” His body shook, fists clenching. “You said we'd be _together forever_. You promised--” He sobbed, tears streaming down his cheeks and onto the floor.

“...I'm sorry, Netto-kun.” A blue, gloved hand rested on his shoulder. “I'm sorry I lied. I'm sorry I couldn't--” A shaky breath. “--couldn't come back as Saito.”

A part of Netto wanted to bat the hand a way.

The smart part of him knew he couldn't blame _him._

_The selfish part of him wanted to lash out._

“Then you shouldn't have promised.” He stood up abruptly, turning around to face Rockman in the copyroid, brown eyes misty and angry. Green eyes looked back at him, unreadable. “You shouldn't have promised and then come back—come back and not tell me for _years._ ” He stabbed a finger at the the Navi's chest at the last word. “I needed you all that time.” He bit his lip. “I needed Saito and you never—you never _told me-_ -”

There was a pause.

It's not like they hadn't talked about this, after Netto finally found out—because Yuuichirou and Rockman were left with no choice but to tell him, in the fight against the WWW—but not like this. Not with the anger and the hurt so out in the open.

“...I was just a kid.” After a moment the Navi finally spoke, voice trembling and edging on angry. He took a step forward, a matching frown on his face. “I was just a KID, and I was SCARED ! I WANTED to keep that promise! “ His expression was torn. “I'm SORRY, I'm sorry I—I'm sorry I have _his heart_ but I'm—I'm not _good enough_ for you.” If the Copyroid could support it, Rockman would be crying now by the way his face crumbled.

“Do you think I didn't want to tell you? What—What Papa did? Who I was? The moment you held the PET for the first time I wanted to scream out and tell you, but Papa said it was **too soon** , and I—I didn't understand WHY. But I trusted him and I WAITED, but--” He covered his face with a hand, body shaking with sobs. “But I hated not—not being able to grow up with you ! I wanted to so badly—to share that with you. You have no idea, Netto. You have never idea how much I...I wished I _could_.”

Netto's anger deflated with every word. All he was left with was with regret for lashing out and a clog in his throat. He tried, really tried, to imagine what it must have been for Rockman—for Saito. Waking up as a Navi, wanting to tell Netto who he was but being unable to. What would it feel like, to die yet come back ? Wishing for things to be the same but they could never be?

“...I'm sorry.” Netto's voice broke. “I'm—Shoot, I'm so stupid, I'm so _selfish_ \--” He hiccuped, shoulders shaking. “I just---I wanted to grow up with you so much. I felt so lonely without you there--” He rubbed furiously at his eyes and looked down to the floor, feeling Rockman's eyes on him. “B-But then I find out you were always there? Fighting alongside me? Nagging me to do my homework, making sure I'm okay?” He laughed a little but it's distorted, voice trembling. “How did I not realize it was you sooner, huh? What--What kind of _brother_ am I?” He looked up, and his sorrow was reflected in Rockman's face. “I wish I had noticed earlier. I—I missed you so much, Saito--”

“Don't--” Rockman shook his head. “Don't call me that I—I'm not—I can't--”

“You're _Saito_.” Netto took a step closer and tapped his core. “Right here, you're here. I'm sorry I got so a-angry, I'm sorry I'm so dense—“ He sniffed. “I needed you and you were here even—even if I didn't know.” Their eyes met and the affection in Netto's eyes as unmistakable. “You're Saito. You're—You're _more than enough_ for me, you're _my brother_ \--” His voice broke again in a sob, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I-It sucks we can't always be like _this_ , but we—we are always together!”

Rockman's face twisted, like he could be crying, and surged forward to catch him in a hug.

“I should have told you sooner--”

“You couldn't, that's fine--”

“I should have anyways, you needed me---”

“You were there and you're here now, it's fine, Saito--” Netto 's arms tightened around him. “You—You were lonely too, weren't you?”

Rockman sniffled. “Yeah—But watching over you was...was all I could ask for, back then.”

“I wish I could have been there for you too. Even if there's nothing I could have really done I--”

“No, no, shh--” Rockman shushed him. “You've done more for me than you can ever know...You gave me strength, all those times I was in the hopsital...and you keep giving me strength, every time we fight together, every day I get to spend beside you...Be it as Saito or Rockman, you keep me going.”

“Hey, I should be saying that!” Netto laughed a little, pushing back just enough to look at Rockman's face. “It's thanks to you nagging at me and fussing over me that I actually get things done. And the reason I've never given up—I...I don't think I ever told you but...When we were kids, I was jealous of you.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, cause...You were going through so much painful stuff, yet you never gave up. You always smiled and told me it was going to be fine, while all I could do was cry and wish you could come home. Hell, I used to scrap my knee and I cried ! I...I admired how strong you were. Made me want to be strong like you.”

“I really wasn't...” Rockman looked bashful. “I...I actually was jealous of you too.” Netto made a surprised noise and Rockman chuckled. “I always...admired how bright and cheerful you were. I wanted to be like that too.”

“Some people would argue I'm noisy and annoying.” Netto joked and Rockman shook his head, chuckling.

“You're loud and stubborn, it's what you are.” His hand held loosely to Netto's shoulders, eyes creasing with fondness. “But you wouldn't be Netto if you weren't that way.” He closed his eyes, reminiscent. “You are a pilar of strength for me. You will always be.”

Netto grasped Rockman's shoulders as well, pushing their foreheads together. “Again, that's my line...Now and always, you'll be the strongest in my eyes.” Before Rockman could protest, Netto knocked their foreheads again. “My strong and brave older brother.”

“Aw...” Rockman cooed, teasing, as he opened his eyes. “Are you going to call me _Big Bro_?”

Netto laughed, shoving him. “Shut up ! You get all high and mighty whenever I say you're the _oldest_ twin.”

“I don't !” Rockman shoved him back, grinning. “It's just the _truth, Little Bro.”_

“Oh my god.” Netto rolled his eyes, throwing his arms in the air. “I'm going back to bed.”

“You should.” Rockman nodded, watching as Netto threw the covers back and laid down. “You still have school early tomorrow—Ah, you did do your homework didn't you? Mariko-san will get mad again--”

“Ah, jeez, get off my back!! I'm SLEEPING !!” Netto hid under the blanket, hearing Rockman laugh. After a beat of silence, he peeked his head from under the blanket. “...Will you...Can you...”

Rockman tilted his head. “What?”

Netto looked away with a pout, embarrassed. “...Can you _stay_?” He held out a hand palm up. “Until I fall asleep.”

Rockman smiled, sitting at the edge of the bed. He grasped Netto's hand in his, squeezing it, like he'd done so many times in the past when Netto had nightmares. Like Netto had done so many times for him when he couldn't sleep. They'd always been there, to support each other, to be each other's rock to lean on. That wouldn't change any time soon. Because Rockman—Saito had promised, and even if death had made him break that promise once, he wouldn't go back on his word again if he could help it.

“Yeah. Always, Netto-kun.” _Forever_.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> ....And then BN3 happens and we know how that 'together forever' went HAHAHA.......... :) i'm dying inside
> 
> I'm also at  
> moonlights0nata on tumblr  
> @moons0nata on twitter


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